


The Holiday Dinner Job

by Annide



Category: Leverage
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Holidays, Hurt/Comfort, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2020-12-29
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:00:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27899482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Annide/pseuds/Annide
Summary: Eliot, Parker and Hardison are having everyone over for dinner, but things don't go as planned when Eliot injures himself.
Relationships: Alec Hardison/Parker/Eliot Spencer
Comments: 12
Kudos: 42
Collections: 2020 Leverage Secret Santa Exchange





	The Holiday Dinner Job

**Author's Note:**

  * For [smthwallflower](https://archiveofourown.org/users/smthwallflower/gifts).



“What are you doing?”

“I’m shoveling, what are _you_ doing?”

Eliot sighed, the frustration clear in his expression. Parker didn’t understand. He’d asked for help to shovel to make it possible for people to walk into the pub, and now he was asking what she was doing? She was holding a shovel and everything.

“I’m shoveling the same snow you are. You keep sending yours into the path I’m working on.”

“Where am I supposed to put it then?”

“There’s a whole terrace right there!”

“There’s a whole terrace right there.” She mimicked. “Oh sorry, I thought when you meant get it away from here, you meant away from here, not two feet to the side.”

Eliot shook his head, exasperated with her. But as much as a rough start as this had been, it had to be better than that one time he somehow convinced Hardison to come out and brave the cold to help with shoveling. He’d spent the entire time complaining and wondering why they decided to live somewhere that got snow. Parker and Eliot had to remind him that it was mainly his idea to move to Portland. Then, he’d tried to blow the snow away with a leaf blower. It was working pretty well too, until he accidentally blew the snow in Eliot’s face, who promptly took the thing away from him. Parker couldn’t stop laughing. After that, Hardison swore he’d have heated steps installed and refused to come shovelling again.

They managed to clear the path from the sidewalk to the front door in a pretty impressive time, Parker thought. It was going well and she was eager to go inside and warm herself up with hot chocolate. She turned toward Eliot to see how he was going along with salting, just in time to watch him slip on the ice.

“Damn it!”

Parker rushed over, just in time to catch him when he tried to get back up and fell again. He tried to stop her when she went to lift his pants, but she slapped his hand away.

“Either you let me take a look or we call an ambulance over here.”

“I’m fine, there’s no need.”

“Sure, but if I can’t see for myself, how am I supposed to take your side against Hardison, huh?”

“Alright.”

It looked like a sprain, nothing major. Nothing bad enough for Eliot to be convinced to see a doctor. He barely let himself be patched up by paramedics after getting shot, a sprain was something he could just walk off. Parker and Hardison, however, cared too much about his well-being to let him do so and insisted he at least stay off it for a few days.

“I can’t, we’re having everyone over tonight. I have a ton of cooking to do.”

“We’ll do the cooking, don’t worry about it.” Parker said.

“People are expecting to eat something edible, Parker.”

“How hard can it be? Recipes are all over the internet.” Hardison said.

“Alright, that’s it, I’m locking myself in the kitchen.”

They ended up with a nice compromise of having Eliot sit in the kitchen, with his leg up, his ankle wrapped and a bag of frozen peas over it, and giving instructions to Parker and Hardison. Parker was certain he’d simplified whatever he’d had in mind, clearly not trusting them to manage his original plan. She thought they were doing pretty well.

“You want me to do what?” Hardison said, shocked at what he’d just heard.

“You’re gonna take the stuffing and push it all the way up inside the turkey. Wash your forearms first, you might have to get them pretty far in there.”

“Nuh-uh. I am not putting my hand up a dead bird’s ass, no way.”

“Yes, you are. I’d do it myself, but you insisted I stay off my feet.”

“I’ll do it.” Parker pushed him out of the way unceremoniously and took over.

“You better wash those hands thoroughly before you touch me again, I mean it, thoroughly.” Hardison said.

She smiled mischievously, to Eliot’s clear delight, as she took her hands out, covered in stuffing, and Hardison backed away, his finger pointed at her as he told her not to come any closer. He was serious. She was quick. Her hands were all over his face before she even needed to chase him around. Eliot laughed. Hardison stopped, happy to hear it.

It had been clear all day, from how grumpy he was mostly, that Eliot was in pain, but wouldn’t admit it. Hearing him laugh was good, it felt like they finally managed to make him feel better. About his ankle being sprained and painful, and about his holiday dinner that made him prouder than anything every year when it was a success. Parker and Hardison knew how important it was to him, and how difficult it was for him to have to delegate to them, but they wanted him to understand that all that mattered was really the time they spent together the three of them, and with all of their friends.

Somehow, even with all the messing around, they managed to get everything done. There were a few issues, like Parker insisting they use cereals to make the pie crust. It was a genius idea, it would taste great and original, she was sure of it. Eliot disagreed and tried to convince her to make the crust the way he wanted, but he didn’t stop her from doing it, just made sure she didn’t use Fruit Loops or something like that and steered her toward the Cap’n Crunch, so he must’ve thought it wouldn’t be that bad. Maybe he thought them putting their personality into it could be fun, as long as they didn’t ruin his dinner.

Eliot even let Hardison take charge of the punch. Probably because no matter what he ended up with, there would be other beverage options. In the end, the dinner they put together smelled great and looked almost as good as what Eliot would’ve done on his own. In fact, because even while sitting Eliot could still grate carrots and other similar tasks, having the three of them work on it allowed them to do more. Even if Hardison and Parker weren’t the most efficient cooks, they were still two people instead of one.

They barely had time to sit down, all three of them cuddling on the couch, their eyes closed if only for a few minutes, before their guests started arriving and they had to go mingle. As soon as everyone was inside, chatting happily, Hardison welcomed them with a short speech that had Eliot rolling his eyes. But Parker could see the fondness he had for him hiding underneath.

“Hardison and I cooked!” Parker announced, proudly.

They spent all day in the kitchen, with Eliot’s exasperation sometimes reaching concerning levels, and she wanted everyone to know. Their guests, however, didn’t seem to be as excited about that as she was. They seemed shocked and doubtful at best. They turned toward Eliot, a slightly scared expression on their face. She knew they all wondered why he didn’t do it like he usually did.

“Hardison and Parker did what?” Everyone asked a variation of that same question, almost at the same time.

“Don’t worry. I told them what to do and I watched them the whole time.” Eliot said, calmly.

“Hey, it’s as if no one here trusts us. We can cook. We were feeding ourselves just fine before Eliot came into our lives.” Hardison said.

“Primarily with orange soda and cereal. I’m surprised you two made it alive to that point.” Sophie commented.

“How about we eat? It smells amazing!” Peggy brought them back to the reason they were really there.

“Yeah, I’m starving. Thought the point was to eat and have fun with friends, so let’s do that.” Hurley said.

Tara and Nate shrugged and took place at one of the pub tables that had been set up. Everyone followed. They all had a wonderful time. The food was appreciated by everyone and the company most of all was. It felt so good to be reunited like this, it happened so little.

By the end of the night, once all their guests had either gone home or found a place to sleep on the couch or one of the guest rooms, they were all drained and eager to go to bed. Hardison and Parker had to practically carry Eliot upstairs. It had been a long day and the pain in his ankle had only gotten worse. Parker offered to leave him alone so he could rest better, but he wouldn’t hear it, he wanted them around. She wrapped herself around him, setting her head on his shoulder.

After setting a soft kiss on each of their foreheads, Hardison lied down next to her, his arm pressed against hers and his hand resting on Eliot’s chest. Parker always felt safe and loved sandwiched between them, feeling both of their warmth. She never knew she could feel anything like that until she found them, she didn’t know anyone could feel that way about her either until them. And they were so happy together.


End file.
